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American Indians Feel the Effects of Climate Change at Higher Rate Than Other Groups

ICTMN Staff

8/9/11

According to a new study from the National Wildlife Federation, American Indians suffer more from climate change than other groups.

The report states that “The high dependence of tribes upon their lands and natural resources to sustain their economic, cultural and spiritual practices, the relatively poor state of their infrastructure and the great need for financial and technical resources to recover from such events all contribute to the disproportionate impact on tribes.”

American Indians and Alaska natives suffer from the effects of a warming planet because they depend more on natural resources, oceans and rivers, according to the report, “Facing the Storm: Indian Tribes, Climate-Induced Weather Extremes and the Future for Indian Country.”

“Extreme weather events can be very destructive for tribes, many of whom are already suffering from lack of resources to begin with,” said Amanda Staudt—a scientist at the National Wildlife Federation and a contributor to the report—to The New York Times.

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